By James Caldwell, Torch columnist

ECW on Sci-Fi TV Report
May 13, 2008 - Year 2, Week 49 (Week 101 overall)
Taped in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Report by James Caldwell, Torch columnist

The show started with a video package on Colin Delaney earning his WWE contract on last week's show by defeating ECW GM Armando Estrada.

Backstage: They showed Armando standing in front of the monitor not looking happy. He turned to Colin Delaney and told him he's very lucky. Armando said that if Colin thought he was a target before, he will make sure Colin is an even bigger target now. Armando then handed Colin a clipboard with the WWE contract. Colin thought it over, then smiled and signed on the dotted line. Armando congratulated him, then booked him in a match against Mike Knox for tonight. Oh goodie. Colin took a deep breath and stared into space in deep thought.

Arena: Mike Adamle welcomed us to the show and said Colin should be careful what he wishes for. C.M. Punk then walked out for the opening match. Adamle and Tazz plugged Miz & Morrison defending the WWE Tag Titles at Judgment Day against Kane and...Morrison. Yes, they're defending against themselves. Tazz corrected him that it's Kane and Punk challenging. Miz and Morrison walked out, then Miz sent Morrison to the back.

1 -- C.M. PUNK vs. THE MIZ

Slow start to the match made awkward by Adamle's stretches of silence. It's as if he's writing down the lines being fed to him in the headset, then he reads them on the air after practicing silently in his head. Miz dominated this until Punk nailed the corner knee and bulldog for a nearfall. Miz telegraphed a high knee, which set up Punk for the G2S, but Miz slipped out and nailed the Reality Check neckbreaker for a clean pin.

WINNER: Miz in 6:00. Slow action made even slower with Adamle unable to tell stories or relate to the product to keep viewers interested. Surprising to see Punk take a clean loss after Miz dominated the match. (*)

Backstage: Kelly Kelly, Cherry, and Michelle McCool talked it up on the way to the ring for a divas match. Adamle had a corny line going to break.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2]

2 -- KELLY KELLY & CHERRY & MICHELLE McCOOL vs. LAYLA & VICTORIA & NATALYA

Adamle and Tazz bantered about Adamle being mesmerized by the diva action. Tazz said Adamle is mesmerized all the time. More awkward stretches of silence as Cherry tried to fight off the heel attack. Tazz tried to comment on the storyline of Deuce & Domino dumping Cherry to the curb, but Adamle just kept interrupting with his awkward catch phrases. Suddenly, Victoria became occupied with the babyface corner, allowing Cherry to roll up Victoria from behind for the win.

WINNER: Cherry in 5:00. Just a match to advance the continuous divas storylines from the SD/ECW tapings. Cherry winning by slipping on a banana peel is getting old quick. Let's take this somewhere. (1/2*)

Backstage: Lena Yada interviewed Shelton Benjamin about not being able to end Kofi Kingston's winning streak. Shelton said Kofi is walking around with a horseshoe stuck where the sun doesn't shine, and he'll yank it out next time he faces him. Kofi suddenly snuck into the picture and asked if that's right. He got inside Shelton's personal space zone, which prompted Shelton to step to him. Kofi then charged him and slammed him into a metal garage door. Kofi stared down at him, then left. A little edge to Kofi. Thank goodness for some development on this show.

[Commercial Break]

[Q3]

Announcers: Adamle and Tazz plugged the Judgment Day PPV card on Sunday. Adamle with a canned line rhetorically asking how the Cerebral Assassin and Legend Killer will write history. I don't know, with a pen? Maybe a sharp no. 2 pencil? In any event, this led to a video package on the Hunter vs. Orton feud.

Backstage: They showed Colin Delaney taping up for his match against Knox. ... A video package aired on Colin's tough road to earning a WWE contract. Beating after beating leading to Colin pinning Armando last week. The heavy emphasis on the storyline does give the ECW brand a unique storyline they can call their own to counter the repeat video packages from Raw and Smackdown.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Some generic rock music hit and Colin Delaney walked out to his own entrance music. There were some random screeches of either an eagle soaring or missiles flying in the early morning sky. As if Mike Knox's spin out onto the entrance stage isn't awkward enough, Adamle rhetorically asked if Rambo has ever met Knox. I know it's not supposed to be a serious line, but it's just so nerve-wracking.

3 -- MIKE KNOX vs. COLIN DELANEY

Bell sounded and Knox started beating the crap out of Colin. Adamle with the cheesy line about Knox being an equal opportunity deliverer of pain. Knox scored a quick win with the corkscrew neckbreaker. So much for that.

WINNER: Knox in 1:00. (n/a)

Post-match: Armando walked out and said Colin just had his first match an active member of the ECW roster. He said Colin has to face the newest member of the ECW roster now. He said that would be him. Armando said he just signed himself to a lucrative contract.

4 -- ARMANDO ESTRADA vs. COLIN DELANEY

Armando slapped around Colin before giving him a lift-up reverse DDT. Armando with a quick pin for the win. Colin had blood coming from his nostrils while Armando celebrated his victory.

WINNER: Armando in 1:00. Forgettable back-to-back matches. It's fine, but it doesn't exactly give Colin a momentum boost. Armando isn't involved enough in the storylines or as unlikable of an authority figure, like William Regal, to enhance storylines as an active competitor.

Backstage: They showed Kane standing firm in a dark corner of the building. He faces Morrison next.

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

In-ring: Morrison and Miz came out on stage for Morrison's singles match. Morrison didn't send Miz away, so apparently he needs his security blanket while Miz doesn't. Kane walked out next.

5 -- ECW champion KANE vs. JOHN MORRISON (w/The Miz)

Could have used Miz on commentary here. Anything to save Adamle from himself. Miz got involved on the outside a few minutes into the match, so Punk walked out to stand in Kane's corner.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Morrison went to work on Kane's legs to chop down the tree. Adamle with a random line about tag team wrestling not being about how good you are individually, but how good you are collectively. Morrison took Kane to the corner and wrapped his leg around the ringpost. The action went to the mat where they exchanged blows until Morrison went back to the leg.

[Q5 -- over-run]

Kane struggled to stand on his feet before landing a series of uppercut blows. He landed a sidewalk slam, then climbed up top on one good leg. Kane came off the top with a clothesline before calling for the chokeslam. Miz tried to get involved, which led to a brawl on the floor between Miz and Punk. Morrison used the distraction to smash Kane with a title belt and follow with a springboard roundhouse kick for the pin and the win.

Post-match: Punk tried to save Kane from a double-team beating, but Miz gave Punk the Reality Check. Morrison punted Kane in the head, and Adamle asked if this is a prelude to Judgment Day. Heel champs stood tall in the ring over the fallen challengers to close the show.

WINNER: Morrison in 13:00. Fundamentally sound match with a good lead-in to Judgment Day with the post-match happenings. Probably not going to sell any PPVs because no one watches the show, but the storytelling followed the sales pitch template. In the absence of Matt Striker in the classroom, the new lesson for this week is Shannon Moore & Jimmy Yang > Kane & C.M. Punk. (**)

We welcome your 1-10 score and comments on this show for an "ECW Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on ECW TV, click here.

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